How to Survive Exam Stress

    Exam time is one of the most stressful in school, whether it is high school, college or graduate school. Even the best students feel the pressure. The first sign of a problem while preparing for an exam is worry{#blank#}1{#/blank#} If we can get rid of worries, or at least control them, then we're in a much better position to do well on our tests. Take the following steps to survive exam stress and increase your overall performance as a result.

    {#blank#}2{#/blank#}What causes you anxiety when you are studying? Too much noise? Then move to a quieter place. Delayed work? Catch up with your studies a couple nights before. That way you can save the final night before the exam to review and get a good night of sleep.

    The second way to deal with worry is to displace thoughts. Suppose you wake up at three in the morning and you're worried about an exam. What do you do?{#blank#}3{#/blank#} Doing something productive might allow you to sleep better when you finally do go back to bed.

    Another way to displace negative thoughts is to do something physically active. Work out. Take a quick walk or a nice run{#blank#}4{#/blank#}For example, I might worry about the exam having surprise questions that I'm not prepared to answer. But I can shove those thoughts aside by reminding myself that I've taken many exams and I've handled surprise questions before.

    The third option is to treat the symptoms. Keep things in perspective. Think of one final exam that causes you the most anxiety. Now think of the worst thing that could happen. If you've prepared, then likely the worst grade you could get is a C. And, if you've been applying what we've been talking about, then you'll likely to do no worse than a B. {#blank#}5{#/blank#}

A. How bad is that really?

B. The first is to delete the causes.

C. Another idea is to think positive thoughts.

D. Worry robs us of energy, focus and motivation.

E. How about getting up and studying for an hour?

F. What we should do is to think positively and get rid of it.

G. So just face the result bravely and make an effort to improve your grade.

    Six Things You should Never Do Before the Queen

    ※Don't show up empty handed.

    What do you get the woman who already has everything? Sure, the Queen has several homes full of priceless trinkets（饰品）, but bringing a gift is necessary. {#blank#}1{#/blank#} So if she's paying a visit to your hometown or country, something which reflects local culture might go down better than W.H. smith's vouchers（优惠券）.

    ※{#blank#}2{#/blank#}

You may be dead on your painful feet—but you should always stand when the queen enters the room. You may only sit once she has taken the seat, so keep a close eye on when the Queen sits down herself.

    ※Don't ignore the dress code.

    Regardless of how late you're running or how tempting it is to stay in your casual clothes, make sure you dress accordingly when meeting HRH. {#blank#}3{#/blank#}

    ※Resist the temptation to refer to her by her first name.

    While the Royal family may be extremely familiar to us, and while we may have our own nicknames for them, we common folk still aren't on a first name basis with them. So, when you meet the Queen she should be addressed as “Your Majesty” and “Ma'am” consequently after. When she leaves, however, you must address her as “Your Majesty” once again.

    ※Only speak if the queen speaks to you.

    Remember when you were a small child and all your elders would drop wisdom such as “don't speak unless spoken to first” and “children should be seen and not heard”? {#blank#}4{#/blank#} This rule exists so Her Royal Highness can control every aspect of the conversation-- including exiting it swiftly.

    ※Don't eat before she does.

    No matter how tasty and tempting the banquet morsels spread in front of you look, you can only start eating once the Queen does. So perhaps have a quick snack beforehand, in case any speeches go on for a long time. {#blank#}5{#/blank#}

A. Stand to attention.

B. Watch out for Queen.

C. Oh, and if she has finished eating, you'd better be full too.

D. If the event is black tie, wear black tie.

E. You are supposed to listen to them though you've grown up.

F. This gift must also be appropriate to the occasion.

G. The same applies to meeting the Queen.

How to Be Good at Sports

    If sports are something that interests you, it stands to reason that you would want to be good at them. Here are some tips that can help you become a good player.

    Set ambitious but realistic goals. If you want to be great at sports, you need to set your aims high.

    {#blank#}1{#/blank#} Instead, you should take a look at what you are, and figure out where you think you would like to be. Give yourself a suitable amount of time to achieve that goal.

    Be patient. {#blank#}2{#/blank#} Impatient athletes tend to make poor ones. If you're not patient, you'll try to jump into advanced techniques long before you're ready. You'll feel discouraged when you don't see immediate improvement.

    Join a sports team. Most of the sports teams are free to join. If you go to school, you should go for team tryouts when they're happening. {#blank#}3{#/blank#}

    Accept criticism. When you play sports, you will unavoidably receive criticism, whether from a coach or other players. {#blank#}4{#/blank#} Are they angry because you missed a pass, or do they sincerely want to help you improve? In a lot of cases, you can use criticism as motivation to get better.

    {#blank#}5{#/blank#} A skill become mastered when you're able to do it without thinking. Given enough time and practice, a skill will eventually fall under this category. When in a game, you won't have time to think everything through, so practice until it's all automatic.

A. Skills are often slow to build.

B. This does not mean being unrealistic.

C. You need to take most of it with a grain of salt.

D. Practice until your skills become second nature.

E. You also need to be clear about what you are good at.

F. If you're not in school, you can find a sports club online.

G. An important reason people join sports teams is to make friends.

    Traffic Regulation and Accident Prevention

    We live in a remarkable time, and many of the once fatal diseases can now be cured with modern medicine and surgery. It is almost certain that one day a cure will be found for the rest of the diseases. Expectations of life have greatly increased. But though the possibility of living a long and happy life is greater than ever before, every day we witness the incredible killing of men, women and children on the roads. Man fights against the motor-car. It is a never-ending battle which man is losing. {#blank#}1{#/blank#}

Nothing can seriously increase your risk of potentially fatal car accidents other than speeding and failing to pay due attention to weather conditions. {#blank#}2{#/blank#} There is no doubt that the motor-car often brings out a man's very worst qualities. Usually quiet and pleasant people, when they are behind the steering wheel, will become unrecognizable. They are impolite, aggressive, self-willed like two-year-old, completely selfish. All their hidden frustrations, disappointments, and jealousy seem to be caused by driving.

    {#blank#}3{#/blank#} It's all for his own convenience. Due to a serious tragedy, the city is almost uninhabitable and the huge parking lot makes the town ugly. The destruction of rural areas and the annual mass killings are just a statistic, easily forgotten. With regard to driving, the laws of some countries are not strict and even the strictest are not strict enough.

    Traffic rules are for everyone to follow under any circumstances, and no one can make an exception unless you make a joke of your own life. Universally accepted standards can only have a significant beneficial on the incidence of accidents. Governments should develop safety codes for manufacturers. {#blank#}4{#/blank#} These measures may sound cruel. However, if these measures result in a reduction in the loss of life every year, they should certainly not be considered serious. After all, the world belongs to humans, not cars.

A. There are five reason for the accident and you are guilty.

B. Every year thousands of people are horribly killed, and we sit still and let it happen.

C. Surprisingly, society should smile at the driver and forgive him.

D. Someone has rightly said that when a person is sitting behind the steering wheel, his car becomes an extension of his personality.

E. All advertisements that emphasize power and performance should be banned.

F. It is time to develop a universal norm to reduce this senseless waste of human life.

    The most successful people all have certain habits in their daily routines. These habits help contribute to their success. Forming a new good habit can be a struggle, but it is well worth the effort. {#blank#}1{#/blank#}

    Set your goal. Before you can begin to work on your new habit, figure out exactly what you hope to accomplish. {#blank#}2{#/blank#} Make sure that your goal is specific, measurable and realistic to increase your chances of success.

    {#blank#}3{#/blank#} Choosing the habits that are most likely to help you achieve your goal is important. After you have set your goal and worked out all the specifics of achieving that goal, identify a habit that is part of achieving that goal. Consider what good habit would help you accomplish that goal.

    Consider your motivation. Once you have identified your goal and the new habit you need to accomplish this goal, take some time to consider your motivation. {#blank#}4{#/blank#} Good motivation can be the difference between success and failure in terms of forming a new habit. So take your time to consider your motivation.

    Give yourself time. Forming a new habit can take a long time. Some people can form a new habit in as little as a few weeks, while other people will take several months. As you work to form your new habit, just keep in mind that it may be a while before it comes true. {#blank#}5{#/blank#}

A. Identify ways to achieve goals.

B. Find the habit you want to form.

C. Good habits are sure to make you a success.

D. Here are the four steps you can follow to form good habits.

E. It is worthwhile to consider your goal.

F. Try to be patient with yourself as you form your new habit.

G. Your motivation is the reason you want to form this new habit.

    While many students raise their hands in class to ask or answer questions, some people outside school raise their hands to get others' attention. Recently, the project "Raise Your Hands for Luca" has made people realize they can also do something amazing by raising their hands to help a brave boy named Luca Williams.

    Luca comes from England. When he was three, he lost his legs because of a terrible illness. Luca's parents started the Raise Your Hands for Luca Project. They hoped to raise 1.5 million pounds to buy Luca prosthetic legs (假肢) and to pay for the care he needs.

    Since then, many people have joined up by writing "For Luca" on their hands and putting the picture of it onto the website. The project has also caught many big stars' eyes such as the world famous football star Maradona. Mickey Mouse also joined the project to help Luca. By now, the project has raised about 225, 000 pounds for the little boy.